Variable speed drive and control therefor



June 2, 1936. P B REEVES 2,043,008

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed July 14, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTOR. faul B Reel/e5,

ATTORNEYS June 2, 1936. P. B. REEVES VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed July 14, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Paul B. Reeves,

ATTORNEYS J1me 1936- P. B. REEVES 2,043,008

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed July 14, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet s INV ENT OR.

PayIB.Ree1/e5,

gwf 414.

ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1936 Paul B. Reeves, Columbus, Ind., aaeignor to Reeves notation of Indiana Pulley Company, Columbus, 11111., a cor- Applicationluly 14, 1034, Seth! No. 135.143

completion of the ailing wind, it is not necessary for the operator to do anything to the driving 15 unit before starting a new wind, since the mere usual return of thering rail of the spinning frame to starting position will automatically bring the parts of the driving unit into proper positions.

The primary object of the invention is to proao vide a mechanical control which shall be as fully automatic as possible throughout the cycle of operation of the spinning frame. As a corollary to that object it is, of course, intended to provide a unit which, for filling wind cycles, will start the 25 operation ofthe spinning frame at a relatively low speed, gradually increase it to a predetermined maximum, continue the operation of the frame at that maximum speed for a period, and then gradually reduce the speed of the frame to 80 starting speed Just before the doff, but which, for warp wind cycles, will gradually increase the speed of the frame until a desired maximum has been reached, and then continue to operate at that maximum untilthe machine is stopped by 35 the operator. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying draw- 40 ings, attention being called to the fact, however,

that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made'in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a unit constructed inaccordance with the present invention, the same being shown associated with a fragment of a spinning frame;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a variable speed 50 drive mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the control unit, with the cover removed, and arranged for filling wind control;

' Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the control 55 unit 01' F3. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the control arranged for warp wind control: and

Fig.6 is a vertical section through the unit as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 it will be seen that I have illustrated at It the end frame of a conventional spinning frame which, as usual, is provided with spindles I I with which is associated the usual ring rail l2. The main shaft ofthe spinning frame is indicated at ll in-Fig. 2 and, as is usual the said shaft is connected to .drive the spindles II and to oscillate the shaft ll which, through a crank arm II and rod I6, is adapted to reciprocate the ring rail II.

The manner of operation of the shaft it during filling winding and warp winding is so well known in the artthat no specific description thereof at this point is'deemed necessary.

The unit of the present invention comprises a base l'l formed with an upstanding portion [8 in go which is provided a slideway l9. Within the slideway is shiftably mounted a platform upon which is carried a motor 2| for driving the spinning frame. Within the upstanding portion l8 7 there is 'journalled a screw shaft 22 which is threadedly received in a nut 23 received between two lugs 23' integral with the platform Ill. Obviously, as the shaft 22 is rotated in one direction or the other, the platform It will be shifted upwardly or downwardly.

The motor il has the usual shaft 24 which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, carries a V-pulley 25.. A coned disc 28 is fixed to the shaft 13, and a mating coned disc 21 is splined on the elongated hub 26' of said disc 28, being 35 urged toward the disc 16 by a spring 28. It will be seen that the discs 26 and 21 comprise an expansible V-pulley. A belt 2! of V cross section cooperates with the pulley 25 and the discs 26 and 21; and it will be seen that, as the motor shaft 24 is shifted away from the shaft IS, the belt ll will be crowded further into the V'between the discs 26 and 21, whereby the disc 21 will be moved away from the disc 16, the effective diameter of the pulley formed by the discs 28 and 21 will be decreased, and the speed of the driven shaft II will be increased. Conversely, as the motor shaft 24 is moved toward the shaft I3, the speed of the shaft II will be decreased.

A crank arm 30 is fixed tothe shaft II and one end of a rod Si is connected to the extremity of said crank arm. The opposite end of said rod is connected to an arm 32, said arm being formed with a plurality of spaced apertures 33, whereby the-rod 3| may be adiustably connected to said. u

arm. Other or further means forming the effect of movement of the shaft l4 on thearm 82 may be provided. Said arm 821s fixed on a shaft 34 which is suitably iournalled in the base l1 and extends upwardly, having bearing at 85 in the bottom wall 88 of a control housing 81. Within said housing, said shaft 84 carries an arm 88, said arm being fixed on said shaft. Adjacent its outer end, said am 88 is formed with a hub 39 in which is oscillably mounted a rockshaft 49 to the lower end of which is pinned a pawl 4| having an arm 42 and an arm 49. A spring-pressed detent is indicated at 44 for resiliently holding the pawl 4| in any one of three predetermined positions. Ad- Jacent the upper end of the rockshaft 48 there is pinned a collar 45 having a finger 48; and above said collar there is pinned to said rockshaft a second collar 41 having a finger 48.

Within the housing 31, there is loosely mounted on the shaft 34 a long sleeve 49. Splined on said sleeve, adjacent its lower end, is a clutch member 58 formed with an annular groove 5i and provided with crown teeth 52. Loosely mounted on said sleeve is a sprocket 58 having crown teeth 54 for cooperation with said teeth 52.

Likewise loosely mounted on said sleeve 49 is a ratchet 55 having an elongated hub 55 upon which is splined a second clutch member 51 formed with an annular groove 58 and provided with crown teeth 59 adapted to cooperate with other crown teeth 89 formed on the upper surface of the sprocket 53. Fixed on the sleeve 49 is a second ratchet 8| the teeth 62 of which are opposite in pitch to the teeth 63 of the ratchet 55. The arm 42 of the pawl 4| is adapted to cooperate with the .teeth 83 of the ratchet 55, while the arm 43 of said pawl is adapted to cooperate with the teeth 62 of the ratchet 5!.

An upstanding post 84 within the casing 31 provides a pivotal mounting for a clutch-operating lever 65 having at one end a yoke engaged in the groove 5i, and provided at its opposite end with a yoke carrying a pin 86 engaged in an elongated slot 81 in a rod 88. Said post likewise provides a mounting for a second clutch-operating lever 69 having a yoke engaged in the groove 58 and provided at its opposite end with a yoke carrying a pin 10 engaged in a second elongated slot 1i formed in the rod 68. A spring 12 tends to hold said pins 86 and 10 in opposite ends of their respective slots, and thereby tends to hold the teeth of both clutch members 50 and 51 in mesh with the cooperating teeth of the sprocket 53.

The rod 88 extends downwardly through the wall 36 and, adjacent its lower end, said rod is threaded as at 13 for the reception of adjustable abutment nuts 14 and 15. The platform 20 carries a stop finger 16 through which the rod 68 freely slides. It will be seen that, as the platform 20 moves upwardly the finger 18 will engage the stop nut 15 to lift the rod 58, whereby the pin 88 is lifted to shift the lever 65 to move the clutch member 50 into the illustrated position. Such movement of the rod 58 may compress the spring 12 if said rod is moved at a time when the teeth 59 are not in proper registry with the teeth and thereafter, the first movement of the clutch member 51 which brings said teeth into proper registry will permit the spring 12 to snap the teeth 59 into mesh with the teeth 80.

Similarly, when the platform 20 is moved downwardly until the stop finger 18 engages the nut 14, the rod 88 will be depressed to lift the clutch xgember 51 out of engagement with the sprocket The screw shaft 22 is suitably connected to a shaft 11 which extends through the wall 84 and, within the casing 81, carries a sprocket 18. A chain 18 connects the sprocket 58 with the sprocket 18, whereby movement of the sprocket 53 will be transmitted to the screw shaft 22. For

adjustment purposes, the shaft 11 is provided with a squared upper end 88 without the casing 13, to which may be applied a crank 8i for manually shifting said screw shaft 22. Preferably a tension sprocket 82 is adJustably mounted within the casing 31.

Within the casing 81 there is mounted a slideway 89 which is concentric with the shaft 84. Upon said slideway are mounted a stop, indicated generally at 84, positioned in the path of the finger 48, anda stop 85 positioned in the path of the finger 48. v

The stop 84 comprises a base 86 slidably mounted in the slideway 89, and a finger 81 pivotally mounted on a pin 88 carried by said base. A spring 89 urges one extremity of said finger 81 into the path of said finger 46, while a pin 99 limits the movement of said finger 81 under the influence of said spring. It will be seen that said finger 81 is formed with a cam surface SI for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

In use, the illustrated organization operates as follows. The unit being connected to the spinning frame in the manner illustrated, and the pawl 4i being in its intermediate position in which neither arm 42 or 43 is engaged with its ratchet, the operator will rotate the shaft 22 by means of the crank 8! to bring the platform 28 to a position corresponding to the desired minimum. or starting speed. He will then turn the nut 15 down until it engages the finger 18 and lifts the rod 68 to shift the clutch member 58 out of mesh with the sprocket 53. Thereafter, he will again operate the crank 8! to shift the platform 29 to a position corresponding to the desired maximum speed, and will turn the nut 14 up until it engages the finger 16 and depresses the rod 88 to shift the clutch member 51 out of mesh with the sprocket 53. Thereafter, the ring rail i2 and arm 38 being in the desired starting position, the operator will return the platform 20 to starting position. h pawl 4i into engagement with the teeth 83 01 the ratchet 55. At this time, the arm 38 will be in a position in which the finger 48 is in contact with the stop 85.

Cf course, it is to be understood that all of this above-described adjustment will be done only once for a given run, and not at the beginning of each cycle.

The motor 2i is now started and, it being understood that the machine is being used for filling wind, the arm 38 will begin to oscillate. Each time said am moves upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 3, the ratchet 55 will be moved in a clockwise direction; while downward movement of said arm 38 will cause the pawl arm 42 to click over the teeth 63, without moving said ratchet. The clutch member 51 being engaged with the sprocket 53, such clockwise movement of said ratchet 55 will be transmitted through the sprocket 53, the chain 19, the sprocket 18,

and the shaft 11, to the screw shaft 22. That shaft being provided with a left-hand thread, the platform 20 will be progressively moved downwardly.

As the platform 28 begins its downward movement, the finger 16 will permit the nut 15 and rod 88 to move downwardly under the influence of the spring 12, until the'teeth 52 of the clutch member 50 are caused to mesh with the teeth 64 of the sprocket; whereafter continued downward movement of the platform 28 will carry the finger 16 out of contact and away from the nut 15. Of course, engagement of the clutch member 58 with the sprocket 53 has no present effect upon the mechanism, since the pawl arm 43 is out of engagement with the ratchet 6|.

As the desired maximum speed is approached, the stop finger 16 comes into contact with the nut 14 and begins to depress the rod 68. Just as the desired maximum speed is reached, the clutch member 51 is thereby moved out of mesh with the sprocket 53.

Thus, the arm 38 is operatively disengaged from the sprocket 53. That is, while further oscillation of the arm 38 for the time being continues to rotate the ratchet 55, that ratchet is free to rotate on the sleeve 48, and drives only the clutch element 51; and, said clutch element 51 having been disengaged from the sprocket 53, it will be seen that the sprocket 53 will not be driven by the ratchet 55. The pawl arm 43 being out of engagement with the ratchet 62, the clutch member 50 which is in engagement with the sprocket 53 will not be driven.

Consequently, though the arm oscillate and to advance, the sprocket 53 will not be rotated and the organization will continue to operate at the maximum speed which has theretofore been attained.

At a predetermined later time, depending upon the radial position of the stop 84, the finger 46 will begin to bump against the finger 81, and shortly the pawl 4| will be moved into a position of neutrality with respect to the two ratchets 8| and 55.

However, as the arm 38 continues to advance, the finger 46 will again begin to bump against the finger 81, and finally the position of the pawl 4| will be reversed, the arm 43 being thrown into engagement with the-teeth 62 of the ratchet 6|. The clutch 58 being, at this time, engaged with the sprocket 53, further oscillation of the arm 38 results in counterclockwise movement of the ratchet 6 l clutch member 58, sprocket 53, sprocket 18, shaft 11, and shaft 22. Such counterclockwise movement of the shaft 22 results in elevation of the platform 28. The first part of such movement, of course, permits the spring 12 to move the rod 68 upward to cause the clutch member 51 to engage with the sprocket 53. Elevation of the platform will be continued until the finger 18 engages the nut I5 to disengage the clutch member 50.

It will be seen that, at this time, the platform 28 is back to starting position. The operator stops his machine, doifs his spindles, and returns the ring rail B2 to starting position. As the ring rail is returned, the shaft i4 will likewise be returned and, through the elements 38, 3|, 32, and 34, the arm 38 is likewise returned to starting position. As the arm 38 passes the stop 84, the finger 46 engages the cam surface 9| of said stop and simply trips past the stop without affecting the position of the pawl 4|. But as the arm 38 approaches its starting position, the finger 48 strikes the stop to throw the pawl 4| into its starting position in which the arm 42 is engaged with the teeth 63 of the ratchet 55. Obviously,

38 continues to r then, the mere act of returning the ring rail to starting position automatically resets the control for another cycle.

If the control of the present application is to be used for warp winding, the stops 84 and 85 are removed from the slideway 83 and a stop indicated generally at 32 is introduced .into the organization. Said stop comprises a base 93 suitably adjustably mounted in the slideway 83, and an overhanging down-turned finger 94 positioned to be engaged by the finger 48. It will be noted that the position of said finger 48 has been reversed by turning the collar 4! through degrees and refastening said collar to the rockshaft 40.

With this arrangement of the control, the pawl 4| is never thrown into a position in which its arm 43 engages the teeth 62 of the ratchet .6l. The normal position of said pawl, during warp winding, is that in which the arm 42 thereof is in operative engagement with the teeth 63 of the ratchet 55. As the arm 38 oscillates during warp winding, it being borne in mind that the clutch member 51 will be initially in engagement with the sprocket 53, the sprocket 53 will be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, to drive the screw shaft 22 to move the platform 20 progressively downward. The speed of the spinning frame will thus be progressively increased until such time as the finger 16 engages the nut 14 to depress the rod 68, thus lifting the clutch 51 out of engagement with the sprocket 53.

The winding being completed, it is obvious that the platform 28 must be returned to its starting position, and it is just as obvious that it cannot be returned to starting position by a simple return of the ring rail. However, as the ring rail is moved downwardly to starting position, the arm 38 is moved in a counterclockwise direction into the position illustrated in Fig. 5 in which the finger 48 comes into contact with the finger 94 of the stop 82, whereby the arm 42 of the pawl 4| is lifted just out of operative engagement with the teeth 63 of the ratchet 55. The pawl 4| is not moved far enough to throw the detent 44 entirely out of its appropriate socket, but only far enough to release the ratchet 55 and to permit the detent 44 to throw the pawl arm 42 back into engagement with the teeth 63 as soon v as the finger 48 is again moved out of contact with the finger 84. However, while the finger 48 is holding the arm 42 out of engagement with the teeth 63, the crank 8| may be applied to the squared end 80 of the shaft 11 to rotate the screw shaft 22 manually to return the platform 28 to starting position.

I claim:

1. The combination with a variable speed transmission having an element movable to vary the speed differential between the intake and output shafts thereof, of control means for said element comprising a shaft, means driven by said transmission for oscillating said last-named shaft, an element loosely mounted onsaid shaft, two clutch members loosely mounted on said shaft and engageable with said last-named element, and means for alternative association with said clutch members for selectively converting oscillatory movement of said last-named shaft into unidirectional movement of one or the other of said clutch members.

2. The combination with a variable spee transmission having an element movable to vary the speed differential between the intake and output shafts thereof, of control means for said element comprising a shaft, means driven by said transmission for oscillating said last-named shaft, an element loosely mounted on said shaft, two clutch members loosely mounted on said shaft and engageable with said last-named element, means for alternative association with said clutch members for selectively converting oscillatory movement of said last-named shaft into unidirectional movement of one or the other of said clutch members, and means operatively associated with said first-named element to disengage one of said clutch members from said last-named element as said first-named element approaches one end of its stroke and to disengage the other of said clutch members from said last-, named element as said first-named element approaches the other end of its stroke.

3. In combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, an expansible pulley on one of said shafts, a belt associated with said pulley and with a pulley on the other of said shafts for operatively connecting said shafts, a member associated with one of said shafts and operable in opposite directions to move its associated shaft toward and away from the other of said shafts, vibrating means driven by said driven shaft, an element operatively connected to drive said member, two clutches selectively engageable with said element, and means alternatively engageable with said respective clutches for selectively converting the vibrations of said vibrating means into unidirectional movement of one of said clutch members in one direction or of the other of said clutches in the opposite direction.

4. In combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, an expansible pulley on one of said shafts, a belt associated with said pulley and with a pulley on the other of said shafts for operatively connecting said shafts, a member associated with one of said shafts and operable in opposite directions to move its associated shaft toward and away from the other of said shafts, vibrating means driven by said driven shaft, an element operatively connected to drive said member, two clutches selectively engageable with said element, means alternatively engageable with said respective clutches for selectively converting the vibrations of said vibrating means into unidirectional movement of one of said clutch members in one direction or of the other of said clutches in the opposite direction, and means automatically operable to disengage one of said clutches from said element when said shiftable shaft approaches one limit of its movement and to disengage the other of said clutches from said element when said shiftable shaft approaches the other limit of its movement.

5. In combination, a motor having a shaft, a driven shaft, pulleys on said shafts, a belt connecting said pulleys, one of said pulleys being expansibie, a shiftable platform carrying said motor, screw means for shifting said platform toward and away from said driven shaft, vibrating means driven by said driven shaft, an element operatively connected to drive said screw means, a pair of independently rotatable members, means associated with said vibrating means and with said members and operable at times to convert the vibration of said vibrating means into rotation of one of said members in one direction and at other times to convert the vibration of said vibrating means into rotation of the other of said members in the other direction. and means for selectively connecting said members to drive said element.

6. In combination, a motor a shaft, a

driven shaft, pulleys on said shafts, a belt connecting said pulleys, one of said pulleys being expansible, a shiftable platform carrying said motor, screw means for shifting said platform toward and away from said driven shaft, vibrating means driven by said driven shaft, an element operatively connected to drive said screw means, a pair of independently rotatable memhere, means associated with said vibrating means and with said members and operable at times to convert the vibration of said vibrating means into rotation of one of said members in one direction and at other times to convert the vibration of said vibrating means into rotation of the other of said members in the other direction, means for selectively connecting said members to drive said element, and means associated with said platform and with said members and operable to disconnect one of said members from said element when said platform approaches one limit of its path and to disconnect the other of said members from said element when said platform approaches the other limit of its path.

7. Control mechanism comprising a casing, a shaft mounted in said casing, a sprocket fixed on said shaft, a second shaft mounted in said casing, a sprocket loose on said second shaft, a chain connecting said sprockets, two oppositely pitched ratchet wheels independently loosely mounted on said second shaft, means for clutching each of said ratchets to said last-named sprocket, and pawl means for selectively connecting said second shaft to drive either of said ratchets.

8. Control mechanism comprising a casing, a shaft mounted in said casing, a sprocket fixed on said shaft, a second shaft mounted in said casing, a sprocket loose on said second shaft, a chain connecting said sprockets, two oppositely pitched ratchet wheels independently loosely mounted on said second shaft, means for clutching each of said ratchets to said lastnamed sprocket, an arm fixed on said shaft, and a double-ended pawl carried on said arm, said pawl being shiftable to move one en'd into engagement with one of said ratchets or to move the other end into engagement with the other of said ratchets.

9. Mechanism for driving a spinning frame having an oscillating shaft; a prime mover, a driven shaft connected to drive said spinning frame, means for shifting said prime mover toward and away from said driven shaft, means connecting said prime mover to drive said driven shaft and operable to increase the speed of said driven shaft upon movement of said prime mover away from said driven shaft and to decrease the speed of said driven shaft upon movement of said prime mover toward said driven shaft, an arm connected to be oscillated by said oscillating shaft, a double-ended pawl carried by said arm, two independent oppositely-pitched ratchet wheels adapted for independent actuation by said respective pawl arms, a sprocket connected to drive said prime-mover-shifting means, two clutches for respectively clutching said ratchets to said sprocket, and means cooperating with said pawl at predetermined periods in the spinning cycle to shift the respective ends thereof into and out of engagement with said ratchets.

10. Mechanism for driving a spinning frame having an oscillating shaft; a prime mover,-a driven shaft connected to drive said spinning frame, means for shifting said prime mover toward and away from said driven shaft, means connecting said prime mover to drive said driven shaft and operable to increase the speed of said driven shaft upon movement of said prime mover away from said driven shaft and to decrease the speed of said driven shaft upon movement of said prime mover toward said driven shaft, an arm connected to be oscillated by said oscillating shaft, a double-ended pawl carried by said arm, two independent oppositely-pitched ratchet wheels adapted for independent actuation by said respective pawl arms, a sprocket connected to drive said prime-mover-shifting means, two clutches for respectively clutching said ratchets to said sprocket, means actuated by movement of said prime mover in a speed-increasing direction for disengaging one of said clutches and engaging the other, means cooperating with said pawl immediately thereafter to move said pawl into neutral position with respect to both of said ratchets, other means cooperating with said pawl later in the spinning cycle to shift said pawl into speed-reducing position, and means actuated by movement of said prime mover in a speed-reducing direction for .said other clutch and engaging said one clutch.

11. The combination with a variable speed transmission having an element movable to vary 5 the speed differential between the intake and output shafts thereof, of control means for said element comprising a shaft, means driven by said transmission for oscillating said last-named shaft, an element loosely mounted on said shaft, 10 a clutch member loosely mounted on said shaft and engageable with said last-named element, means associated with said clutch member for selectively converting oscillatory movement of said last-named shaft into unidirectional move- 15 ment of said clutch member, means operatively associated with said first-named element to disengage said clutch member from said last-named element as said first-named element approaches one end of its stroke, means for rendering said movement-converting means ineffective, at times, and means for manually returning said first-named element while said movement-converting means is ineffective. 25

PAUL B. REEVES. 

